{"id":5250,"date":"2020-03-27T21:15:09","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T17:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mbrsc.aud.edu\/MBRSCPost\/?p=5250"},"modified":"2020-03-27T21:15:12","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T17:15:12","slug":"in-light-of-corona-what-is-the-situation-for-the-expat-girls-at-auds-dorms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbrsc.aud.edu\/MBRSCPost\/in-light-of-corona-what-is-the-situation-for-the-expat-girls-at-auds-dorms\/","title":{"rendered":"In Light of Corona: What Is the Situation for the Expat Girls at AUD\u2019s Dorms?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The exhaustion from traveling became more evident when Aya Ramadan, a journalism student, tried to enter the dorms at the American University in Dubai, but failed. She tried to convince the security man with her last bit of energy to enter the dorms after she traveled to Syria during the spring break. However, she was forced to quarantine at her sister\u2019s house for two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Aya\u2019s situation, finding another place to stay, other than the university\u2019s dorms, was not very difficult. On the other hand, in fear of going through these struggles, but ending up without any other place to stay, many girls avoided traveling, and chose to spend their entire vacation and quarantine time at the university\u2019s dorms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note that AUD\u2019s president, David Schmidt, sent an email to all students, and especially the university\u2019s dorms\u2019 students, regarding the university\u2019s policy in this crisis. He emphasized that the entrance of the students that chose to travel during the spring break and distance learning period will not be allowed. He also added that any student who left the country needs to complete 14 days of quarantine outside of the dorms, in the UAE, and needs to bring a medical report that proves that the student is not infected with the coronavirus or COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experiences and feelings of the girls who are dealing with the current situation at the university\u2019s dorms vary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI wasn\u2019t planning on traveling even before corona, because of the sports tournaments that I was supposed to participate in here,\u201d says Enrica Vanzolini, who is an Italian volleyball player and an international studies student. She continues to explain that her plans changed anyway due to the spread of the virus that leads to the cancellation of all sports tournaments, and the closure of all public sports facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m lucky to be here with the terrifying situation in Italy, and I feel great worry for my family and all Italians,\u201d says Vanzolini, with feelings of gratitude showing on her face. Vanzolini also expresses that what she can do is to follow all the necessary sanitary procedures. All that she wishes for is the end of what is happening, and for her to be able to hug her family members soon, in summer, without being afraid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While worry and gratitude control Enrica Vanzolini\u2019s feelings, two friends, a Syrian international studies student, Maram Abu Al Haija, and an Egyptian interior design student, Mayar Younes, who didn\u2019t travel to Saudi Arabia, the place where their families stay, are overwhelmed with sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe atmosphere is depressing and the girls\u2019 dorms are empty,\u201d says Maram, while exercising with Mayar at the gym in the university\u2019s dorms building. \u201cToday I woke Mayar up from sleep, and we went to the gym because sleeping is going to increase the general depressing atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayar also says that although she used to exercise every day before all these events, she now has no energy, nor the mood, for anything these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI canceled my travel ticket on the same day of my trip, in fears of all trips being stopped, and that is what actually happened after that,\u201d says Mayar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maram also adds the reason behind her staying in the country. \u201cI called off the idea of traveling as soon as the virus spread, in fears of becoming infected at the airport, being stuck in Saudi Arabia, and putting my final academic year at risk in any shape or form,\u201d says Maram. \u201cOne of my biggest fears is that I, or one of my family members, become infected with corona while we\u2019re far from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To note, AUD didn\u2019t evacuate it\u2019s dorms like it did in the case of its campus, but students whose families live in the UAE were encouraged to go back to their homes, and the university warned against traveling generally. The university\u2019s medical center is still working on helping students with its services by answering their questions regarding the coronavirus and its symptoms through a hotline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translated by: Mais Othman <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Farah Mohamed <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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